Electric iron



March 14,- 1933. H K WARNER Er AL .1,901,385

ELECTRIC IRON Filed March 1'7, 1951 Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE L HORACE xINToN WARNER AND GEORGE ROBERT ELLIOTT, E,AUCRLAND, NEW

ZEALAND, ASSIGNOBS T0 WARNELL PATENTS LIMITED, ZEALAND, A COMPANY 0F NEWZEALAND Y OF AUCKLAND, NEW

e ELECTRIC IRON Application tiled March 17,1931, Serial No.

Y f of electric iron for the purpose of 4control- Vling the currentsupply to cause it to be au- .tomatically turned on when the iron handleis grasped by the hand, kas in the `use of the Y iron, andy to beturnedoff when such grasp is loosened. Also these means are of such a natureas to provide for the iron being rested on its heel and by so doing, atthe will of an operator, to either leave the current off, or to turn iton, as may be desired.

The invention comprises the combination within the iron handle, ofswitch mechanism that is interposed within the current supply lead totheiron, and is so made that in normal conditions the switch is open tostop the current flow, but is closed when the handle is grasped in theusers hand and thus to provide for the supply to the iron heatingelement. This switch mechanism has embodied therewith means whereby theswitch may be closed when the irony is resting on its heel, in orderthus to providejfor the heatingk of the iron preliminary to its use.

In fully describing the invention reference will be made to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of thecomplete iron.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal side sectional elevation of the iron handleand the switch mechanism arranged therein.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevation on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan showing the iron handle in section and the switchmechanism in plan.

In giving effect to the invention the handle 10 is made hollow, as bybeing made in upper and lower halves secured together by means of screws11. The space enclosed by the vupper and lower halves is continuedrearwardly out through the handle end in the form of a central bore 12and two side wire grooves 13 formed in the upper surface of the lowerhalf and which are closed in The lower half of the handle is also formed523,328, and in New Zealand J'uly M, 1930.

with a slot 14 extending longitudinally therein and opening down throughto the bottom. e

A horizontal base board 15 of suitable insulator material isailixed tothe upper surface of the lowei` half ofthe handle so that it extendswithin the hollow space thereof, and this plate at its rear end isfitted with two terminal screws 16, one near each'side and in the linesof the respective grooves 13. Near its forward end, the plate is fittedwith vtwo contact studs 17, one near each side, which areelectricallyconnected respectivelywith the terminal screws 16 on thecorresponding edges of the base board, as for instance by means of themetallic strips 18 let into the surface of such board.

The connecting flex for the iron is led to it in the usual manner byattachment to the two point plug 19 but the supply lead of vthe flex,instead of being connected directly to its terminal in such plug, iscarried first in through one of the grooves l13and is attached to one ofthe terminal screws 16, and the plug terminal is then connected to theother terminal screw 16. Thus thesupply circuit isgbroken, but it may beclosed by the electric bridging of the two studs 17. The, mechanismdevised provides for this being done under the circumstances before-Vmentioned.`

This mechanism comprises ay switch plate or disc 20 that isv arrangedupon the base board 15 by being mounted on a centrally disposed pivot21, and is so made that in one position of its turningkmovement itbridges the studs 17, while in another it frees them from connection. Astem piece 22 is mount- `ed in suitable guides 23 to extendlongitudinally along above the base board and above the switch plate 20.This is connected to the switch plate by means of a spring connection24lvattached to the plate at a distance from its centre and so arrangedand made that upon an inward movement of the stem, a pull is exertedon'the spring to turn the switch plate on its pivot in the direction tobridge the studs17, and onthe reverse movement, toV turn it` reverselyto break such connection. The turning of the switch 'plate is madesufficiently resistant to provide that they spring requires tensioningvbefore the plate will turn in order thus that quick make and break ofthe kswitch is effected in the workingioffthe apparatus. y v n The stem22 iskept normally lforced outwardly to turn the switch plate to theoffy position, by means of a spring 25 surrounding `it and arranged Vincompression between the guide 23 and a shoulder upon the stemY end. Whenthereforethe stem is free, the switchV is open to cut oil the powersupply. A bell crank lever is pivoted in the rear end offthe baseboardl,such :lever having one arm 26 extending upwardly and fittinglooselywit'hin a slot 27 formed in the'rear f end oi the stem 22, andits 'other armi-28 extending downwardly into the slot .14ct vthe ironhandle. A :bow shaped lever 29 is arranged to extend valong within thisslotV and has its front end pivotedito the'forward end of the base board15 while its rear `end isarticulated to the arm 28 of the .bell cranklever. 'This bow lever/has its .bow extending downwardly, and it isdesigned on up,- ward movement being given to it, to 'turn the bellcrank lever and to .force the stem 22 in a "forward direction to closethe switch. The amount of .this downward curve is such as to cause thelever to project beyond the survface of th'ehandle bottom in order thusthatv when the handleis grasped by the 'hand vclosing upon it, the leveris turned upward to i 1close the switch and retain it Vclosed so long asv'the grasp visfretained.V On the grasp being releasechthe switch willautomatically open under the action of thenspring 25.

VThus .the desiredefect of keeping the rcurrent vsupply on while theiron isbeing used, vand* automatically turning it oli' when the v useceases, is obtained. f

- `To provide for ,the switch being closed when the iron yis turned upon its heel, a presser bar 8O is provided and mounted to slide inthehandle bore 12 so that one end engages .the rear of the stem 22 while'its other endprojects "afdistance beyond the rear ofthe handle. `Whenthe iron v"is turned up torest on its heel, this Vbar. will engage :the.surface on which kthe A'iron rests, and

base board and interposed in the current supply lead to the ironheatingelement, av bridging plate or disc mounted to rotate on such board andadapted in one position to connect the studs and in other to disconnectthem, a stem piece mounted vto slide `longitudinally in the handle abovethe base board, connected to such .bridging iplate or disc vby `a.tension spring, .adapted when .mov-

ed iorwardlyto V.turn .it Lto the `connecting position, a spring actingon the stem piece and forcing it to the rearward, or disconnecting,position, a bell crank lever mounted to extend vertically in the handleand having an upwardly extending armengaging Vthe rear endoi the stempiece and its secondV arm 'extending rearwardly and downwardly,

and a bowshaped lever arranged to extend along beneath 1thehandle'withits bowdownfc ward, and having its for-ward endpivoted in thehandle and its :rear end :articulated to the second arm of th *Said beCanjk lever. f S

" 2."In electric irons according to claim '1,

a presser bar fitted to slide within the rear end oit thehandle, havingits forward end `arranged to engage the rearendyoi' the said stem .pieceand its rear fend to project beyondthe'handle end.

tures. Y

yHORACE K-I-NTONk WARNER. vGEORGE ROBERT ELLIOTT.

arrangedwithin such hollow, a pair of contact studs fixed 'upon'thefsurfa-cejof 'such In testimony whereof, we aliixour signai

